Niman Ranch founder will no longer eat company’s meat

The San Francisco Chronicle has a superb story on the history of Niman Ranch and changes that have been made in the company since founder Bill Niman lost the business.

Here’s the beginning:

“Bill Niman built a $65 million empire on a simple idea that revolutionized the food world – that meat could be more than just what’s for dinner. It could be raised naturally, humanely and sustainably, better for people and the planet. Niman knew success would take time, but believed his methods would prove profitable.

But in nearly 30 years of existence, despite becoming the darling of high-end chefs and turning the brand into a household name, Niman Ranch never did turn a profit. In fact, it was broke. To save it from bankruptcy court, the East Bay company merged last month with its chief investor, Chicago’s Natural Food Holdings LLC, and Niman was officially out.

The 64-year-old Bolinas man said he can live with losing the business he built from scratch. But he can’t stand quietly by, he says, while the new owners fundamentally change the brand that influenced an entire food movement. He refuses to eat their products.

Officials from the company argue that the integrity of Niman Ranch’s meat program has never been better.”

There are more than 300 comments on the story so far. Here’s the one that has been the most recommended:

“Let’s see now —- the new owner says he’s holding to the same ideals held by Niman, yet he’s farming out the cattle to other feedlots, trucking them distances three or four times further than had been done in the past, feeding them anti-microbials and, just incidentally happens to have turned $10,000 a week losses into $7,000 a week profits…Sounds to me like Niman beef is no longer Niman beef.”